Language Barrier: Swimmers To Appear In Rosetta Stone Ads

Octagon Dir of Olympics & Action Sports Peter Carlisle has negotiated a one-year, six-figure endorsement deal with Virginia-based language-learning company Rosetta Stone, "that lets the company use images ... in its promotions" of U.S. Olympic swimmers Michael Phelps, Ian Crocker and Katie Hoff, according to Tripp Mickle of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The swimmers will use company products to learn Mandarin before heading to the Beijing Olympics. The first ads featuring Phelps came out this month in Swimming World, Outside magazine and Men's Journal, and a "more extensive advertising campaign is being finalized" that includes print ads, TV spots on networks like TNT, the History Channel and A&E and direct marketing materials. Rosetta Stone VP/Brand Marketing & Strategy Pamela Mulder called the endorsement deal, the first involving athletes in company history, a "no-brainer" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/28 issue).